A searchable, downloadable PDF of the original article appears below. Dr. Stoutenburg is Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at Trinity Western University, Langley, B.C.
Donald G. Bloesch, professor of Systematic Theology at Dubuque Theological Seminary in Iowa, has critically observed that modern evangelicalism is, by and large, impotent in its attempt to offer true hope and practical assistance to the society in which it finds itself. In his own words, “The social impotence of modern evangelicalism is to be traced partly to its over-emphasis on polemics and apologetics and its neglect of ethics, particularly in the social or political dimension.” Bloesch is not alone in his appeal for Christians to become more concerned about not just presenting the message of Jesus to a lost world but of presenting him in a manner that is practically effective and socially persuasive. Karl Barth agreed with this concern shared by all true reformers of the Christian church while doubting that a study of ethics or morals was in itself a viable solution. Should not every investigation of sacred Scripture ring ethically and morally true? Would not every expression of the Christian faith accurately represent the ethics and morals of the kingdom of God? Barth challenged his readers by asking, “How is a Christian able to confess faith in a moral and ethical God when that same person’s life portrays neither conviction.”
A somewhat detailed consideration of certain basic issues of an ethical and moral nature as seen by society at large (North American) and by Christianity in particular is able to offer us significant help and clearer direction for a correct representation of the gospel and a more effective witness to a world that so often responds to the Christian message with confusion, indifference, or spite.
Three major themes in the Scriptures provide a solid foundation for the understanding of Christian ethics: the preliminary message of John the Baptist in Luke, the Shepherd motif exemplified in John 10, Psalm 23, and 1 Peter 2, and the didactic discourse of the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew. The first theme provides a study of the ethical call to repentance, entrance into God’s kingdom. The second theme explains the motivation for an ethical life, providential grace and care of the Good Shepherd. The third theme teaches the principles of service in the kingdom of God.
I. An Ethical Call to Repentance: Entrance into the Kingdom of God
When John the Baptist cried out to the multitude of people to repent, for the kingdom of God was near, a threefold response ensued. First, the citizens themselves asked, “How are we to express repentance?” to which John replied, “Those who have two items of clothing should share one with someone who has none, and the one who has food should do the same.” For the crowds, repentance necessitated a change in thinking which visibly affected lifestyle beyond an already present desire to change. The crowds were to understand that all they possess was truly from God and that they were merely stewards of these goods, responsible to keep from them what they actually needed and then, from the excess, to share the rest with other, less fortunate ones. All this and nothing less constituted true repentance.
Included in that multitude were the government officials or tax collectors who received their salaries from that which they received in commission from taxes paid by the citizens. Would the kingdom of God expect them to receive from the people and then give it right back to them? Was repentance to be exacted on them in the same way, they wondered? So they, too, enquired, “What about us?” to which John replied, “Do not collect any more than you are required to.” For the tax collectors, repentance would best be demonstrated by their honesty and care to demand and receive no more than what people owed. A true change of heart excluded graft.
Finally, the soldiers among the people must have wondered how they could apply this practical message of repentance to themselves. They neither bought their own clothes nor stored their own food supply. Nor did they enter into the business affairs of the world. Theirs was the provided for life of military issue. Their question had its own special context as they asked John, “What about us?” “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people — falsely — be content with your pay.” John assured these soldiers that repentance would have practical implications for their lives as well. They were the agents of power and authority. Theirs was the temptation to receive bribes — to extort from the people. They stood before the courts bearing witness for or against the people. They stood before the courts bearing witness for or against the people. They were issued a salary governed by the generosity of the state. That they accepted what was allotted to them, that they bore true witness in the courts, that they stood in integrity above all temptation for personal gain — this was the outworking of an inner change, this was true repentance for the soldiers.
A call to repentance, an entrance into God’s family and kingdom, requires more than a simple confession of faith in Jesus as Saviour and Lord. Repentance that truly enters a person through the gates of God’s realms expresses itself in a change in thought which affects this life in the areas of values, perception, and lifestyle. We come to represent the true God, in whom there is compassion and kind sharing of all that is his own, in whom there is fairness and honest demand of what we owe one another, in whom there is contentment with what he gives us and integrity in how life is lived and recounted before others. The true God whom we have come to serve transforms his people into those who represent him in their very thoughts and lifestyle.
II. The Shepherd Jesus: Our Motivation for an Ethical Lifestyle
We come into the kingdom of God not by earning our entrance but through the grace of God administered to us in his kindness. In next looking at the Shepherd motif in the Scriptures, we find that those who follow Jesus receive from his hand grace upon grace so that we may live the life he requires by his provision and by his power.
In relating the life of Jesus and his interaction with religious leaders of his time, the apostle John quotes Jesus in his Good Shepherd discourse. In John 10: 1-18 Jesus warns of the false shepherds and the wolves who care not for the sheep but rather for their own purse and stomach. They offer pasturage in dangerous places and then flee when danger arrives. In contrast those who enter the sheep pen by the gate, that is by way of Jesus himself, are called, cared for and protected by the Good Shepherd who is willing to die so that his followers may live. Those who follow Jesus accustom themselves to his voice and follow him, knowing that to stray from him is to re-enter danger’s pathway. One motivation for living the ethical life of the kingdom of God is to receive the care and protection offered by no other shepherd than Jesus.
In the songs of David, the Shepherd motif is strong. Representative of this theme, the psalmist reflects on the total provision of those who have the Lord as their shepherd (Psalm 23). These lack nothing. They are brought to peaceful and restful places. Their souls are restored. Even their enemies are witness to the overflowing kindness accorded them. They are anointed with goodness and mercy all of their lives and then enter into eternal habitations with their God at the end of their earthly life. It is the complete provision of the shepherd Jesus that motivates God’s children to live in ways that facilitate God’s giving and his kindness.
Even amidst trial and distress, Christians find reason to represent their shepherd God. The sufferings of the Messiah have provided redemption for the people of God. But also, these sufferings allow us to pattern our own lives of suffering after his perfect model. When we are insulted and wrongly accused, our motivation to respond in an ethical manner comes not from our human resources but from the strength and hope that we have received from the one who has already undergone far more brutal treatment and far deeper misunderstanding than that through which we are presently passing. To be motivated to godly reponse in this manner is commendable before God. We were once “like sheep going astray, but now [we] have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of [our] souls” 1 Peter 1: 13-25.
Our motivation for living a life that represents the ethics of the kingdom of God is woven carefully in the web of the province of God towards his people: he cares and protects, completely provides, and has shown us by his own life and death how to overcome lesser, natural reactions to the cruelties which life can offer us. As a shepherd, Jesus leads his followers joyfully into the eternal life that he presently possesses.
III. The “Sermon on the Mount” Ethics: Our Service in the Kingdom of God
Jesus’ sermon on the mountain presents a complex collation of kingdom principles which demand a righteousness surpassing that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law in order to enter God’s kingdom. In the Matthew account of this sermon (Matthew 5-7), three themes are clearly discussed: the nature of the ethic, the expression of the ethic, and the picture of the ethic and may be summarized as follows.
The ethic of God’s kingdom expresses itself in a nature unlike any other, earthly mode of human conduct. First, God’s kingdom ethic is based on real promises from the one who will fulfill these offers in a day to come. For those who on earth are poor in spirit, the kingdom of God is theirs. For those who mourn on earth, comfort will be theirs. The meek will inherit the earth. Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be filled. The merciful will be shown mercy. Those whose hearts are pure will see God. Peacemakers will be called children of God. The kingdom of God is for those persecuted because of righteousness. And those who are insulted and wrongly persecuted may rejoice that they follow the example of God’s true prophets — they will receive great reward in heaven. By living a life that truly represents the living God, we become light in an otherwise morally dark world. Attempts to imitate God are inadequate. The righteousness required must be greater than that of the most religious of leaders of Jesus’ day. Jesus’ righteousness alone will accomplish the demands of the Law. We must rely solely on his righteousness, the new nature given through the new birth, that which is of spirit, of God. Our inner life must be renewed, not just reformed. Our thoughts, not just our actions, will condemn us. Our perfection is to be not just close to but equal with God’s perfection. Such a nature cannot come from within the human soul; this nature must necessarily proceed from God.
The expression of the ethic of God’s kingdom calls for an exercise of caution against ostentatious behaviour. The “acts of righteousness” which are performed to be seen by others receive only a temporal reward — pleased responses of the viewers. One expression of someone committed to kingdom of God ethics is the storing up of treasures rather than the accumulation of material goods here on earth. Another expression of the same ethic is a life that trusts God for provision of food, clothing, and accommodations. The primary concern for the kingdom ethic is a life that seeks, above all, the righteousness of God rather than the accumulation of things that concern the world.
Finally, the ethic of God’s kingdom is pictured as a self-examining, nonjudgemental communication towards others. This ethic can be gained through asking, seeking, and then knocking on the door that leads to God. Jesus has declared that he is the door. The difficulty of the path required for the Christian is in its narrowness. Most approaches to human conduct are contrary to the very nature of our God and therefore comprise the broad path that leads to destruction. The true child of God not only believes correctly but also manifests that truth by appropriate lifestyle. The tree is known by its fruit. A final picture of the ethics of the kingdom of God is the house built on the rock that the wise builder constructed. God’s ethic, his perception of life and its outworking through the lives of those who follow him, is that alone which weathers the storms of the present age.
Summary
By summarily considering the ethical presuppositions, motivations and expectations of the Christian calling, we understand that only Jesus is able to align perfectly with the demands of God’s kingdom. To be perfect as God is perfect requires acceptance and imputation of the righteousness of God upon every follower of Jesus. The Spirit of God was given to us for this very reason. By God’s gracious gift, we are indwelt by his powerful, enabling Spirit to have the will, the motivation, and the ability to live a life that conforms to the ethical standards of the kingdom of God.